Chapter 5 The First Crack
Charlotte's eyes slowly opened. The white ceiling was the first thing that greeted her, followed by the cold breeze of the air conditioner and the repeated sound of the heart monitor. She remained stunned for a moment until the events that had happened gradually returned to her memory—the severe pain in her stomach, her loss of consciousness, and Ethan taking her to the hospital.
She immediately placed a trembling hand on her stomach. She closed her eyes and breathed softly.
"Baby... you're still there, aren't you?"
At the same time, the door to the room opened. The doctor entered with a nurse. The doctor approached the bed and glanced at the monitor before smiling slightly.
"Good morning, Mrs. Hawthorne. How are you feeling?"
Charlotte no longer noticed her own weakness.
"Doctor... my baby?"
The doctor glanced at the medical chart before looking at her again.
"The baby is safe. But you almost lost your child."
Charlotte's chest suddenly tightened.
"The effects of extreme fatigue, extreme stress, and malnutrition have been severe. If you had been brought here a few minutes later, we might not have been able to save your pregnancy."
Charlotte closed her eyes as tears silently fell.
"Thank you..."
"You need to stay here for three days for observation."
Charlotte frowned slightly.
"Three days?"
The doctor nodded.
"We can't take chances with your condition. We need to make sure that you and the baby are safe before sending you home."
She nodded again.
"Yes."
"And I have one more piece of advice."
She looked at the doctor silently.
"In your current condition, you can't do heavy work. You need enough food, rest, and most of all, silence."
Charlotte smiled.
But that smile was very bitter.
If only the doctor knew what awaited him when he returned to Hawthorne Mansion.
After the doctor left, the room fell silent again. She hugged the blanket tightly as she stared at the ceiling. She didn't realize she was still hoping the door would open and Ethan would come in to say hello.
But what she heard were familiar voices from outside the room.
"Is that how much it will cost?"
It was Mrs. Hawthorne's voice.
"Yes, Madam. That's just the initial hospital deposit."
The old man sighed.
"It's very expensive."
"Emergency treatment, laboratory tests, ultrasound, and a private room."
"Tsk."
"That's a lot of money just for someone who fainted."
The nurse was silent.
A few seconds later, Charlotte heard Thea's voice.
"Mom, the doctor said she needs to stay here for three more days."
"Three days?"
Mrs. Hawthorne was clearly not happy.
"It's only going to cost a lot more."
Charlotte felt her chest tighten.
"I don't understand why we have to spend so much money on that girl."
Thea laughed softly.
"Since Charlotte came to our family, it's been nothing but trouble."
"She's brought nothing but shame."
Charlotte closed her eyes silently.
She felt her heart slowly breaking.
But what Mrs. Hawthorne said next was what finally brought her down.
"Actually..."
She paused for a moment.
"It would have been better if the child she was carrying had just miscarried."
Charlotte's eyes widened.
She clenched her fists tightly into the blanket.
"Mom..."
Thea laughed softly.
"You're right."
"As long as that child is alive, Brother Ethan won't be able to escape."
"We can't process the divorce."
"And while that woman is still Ethan's wife, we're embarrassed to face our friends."
Charlotte's tears fell silently.
She couldn't bear to hear the words coming out of their mouths anymore.
After a while, she heard Vanessa's weak voice.
"Auntie..."
"Don't be angry."
"The important thing is, Charlotte and the baby are safe."
Mrs. Hawthorne smiled.
"You're really the kind one."
"If only you had married Ethan, we wouldn't have this problem."
Thea nodded.
"Vanessa is really the one in our family."
Charlotte closed her eyes.
She remembered again the times when she and Vanessa were friends. They went to class together. They dreamed together about their lives one day. It never crossed her mind that the day would come when the woman she considered her sister would be the reason for the destruction of her family.
Soon the door to the room opened.
Ethan entered.
He quietly approached the bed while holding his cellphone. He placed a paper bag on the small table.
"There are some of your clothes."
Charlotte nodded.
"Thank you."
There was silence for a moment.
He felt like he had so much he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to start.
"Ethan..."
The man looked at him.
"Do you need anything?"
Charlotte took a deep breath.
"I heard what you and mother were talking about."
Ethan didn't say anything.
"They want to lose our child."
The man was still silent.
"I heard about the divorce too."
A few seconds passed before he spoke.
"Just ignore them."
Charlotte laughed.
But that laugh was full of bitterness.
"That's your answer again."
She slowly shook her head.
"When they yell at me..."
"When they humiliate me..."
"When they starve me..."
"When they hurt me..."
"What you always say is to ignore them."
Ethan was silent.
He didn't deny anything.
But he didn't defend anything either.
Charlotte's tears slowly fell.
"Ethan..."
"I'm not asking you to take my side."
"Even if you just believe me."
"Even just once."
Ethan fell silent.
And that silence completely destroyed the remaining hope Charlotte was trying to hold on to.
Ethan didn't speak for a long time.
He just stared at Charlotte while the entire room remained silent. Only the faint sound of the heart monitor filled the deafening silence.
Finally, Ethan sighed.
"Charlotte..."
"I'm not saying you're lying."
"But I know Mother."
"She's just really hot-headed."
"She's been like that for a long time."
Charlotte smiled.
But that smile was full of bitterness.
"Hot-headed?"
She laughed weakly.
"Is that all you see?"
She shook her head slowly.
"She doesn't just yell at me, Ethan."
"She makes me hungry."
"She makes me work all day."
"Even though I'm pregnant."
"She slapped me."
"And just now..."
Her voice cracked slightly.
"She said she wished our baby would just miscarry."
Ethan fell silent.
She lowered her gaze.
But she still didn't say anything.
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears.
"Why?"
"Why haven't you said anything until now?"
Ethan took a deep breath before looking at her again.
"I just don't want the problem to escalate."
Charlotte felt like something was tightening in her chest.
"Chaos?"
She laughed softly.
"My life has been chaotic for a long time, Ethan."
"Every day."
"Every time I wake up."
"Every meal."
"Every hour I'm inside the mansion."
"I'm silently enduring."
"Because I hope that one day, you'll defend me too."
She slowly looked at her husband.
"But I was wrong."
Ethan sighed.
"You don't understand the situation."
Charlotte shook her head.
"No."
"You're the one who doesn't understand."
"Because you're not the one experiencing it."
Silence enveloped them again.
A few seconds passed before Ethan's cellphone rang again.
He glanced at the screen.
He frowned.
He picked up the call.
"Yes."
He listened silently on the other line.
"I'll be there."
"No, don't sign anything until I arrive."
"I'm leaving now."
After hanging up the call, she put the cellphone back in her pocket.
"I have to go."
Charlotte's face fell.
"Now?"
"There's an emergency meeting."
"This is important."
Charlotte laughed.
But it was full of self-mockery.
"More important than your wife and child?"
Ethan didn't answer.
He quietly took the coat hanging on the back of the chair.
"I'll come back later."
That was it.
No hug.
No kiss.
No handshake.
He silently left the room.
As the door closed, it seemed as if Charlotte's remaining hope had also completely closed.
Not long after, a nurse entered with a tray of food.
"Ma'am Charlotte, it's lunch time."
Charlotte quickly wiped away her tears before forcing a smile.
"Thank you."
"You finished the food, huh? You need to get strong for the baby."
"Yes."
After the nurse left, she silently looked at the food in front of her.
Hot soup.
Rice.
Vegetables.
Fruit.
She couldn't help but smile bitterly.
At Hawthorne Mansion, she rarely got to eat on time.
She usually only ate when everyone was finished. Sometimes all that was left for her was bread and water.
She gently stroked her stomach.
"I'm sorry, baby."
"It won't happen again."
While eating, she noticed a newspaper left on the small table next to the bed.
She had no intention of reading it.
But a headline immediately caught her attention.
HAWTHORNE GROUP ANNOUNCES MULTI-BILLION PARTNERSHIP
She frowned.
She picked up the newspaper and began to read the article.
"The Hawthorne Group has announced its new strategic partnership with Silver Crest Holdings for a multi-billion development project..."
"Silver Crest Holdings?"
She said weakly.
The name was unfamiliar.
When the Hawthorne Group was just starting out, Ethan had often helped her prepare business proposals and investor presentations. Even though she wasn't an official employee, she knew almost all of the Hawthorne Group's partner companies by heart.
But Silver Crest Holdings...
She had only just heard its name.
She read the article again.
She noticed that there was very little information provided about the company.
No history.
No major projects.
No profiles of the owners.
However...
The investment entrusted to it by the Hawthorne Group was enormous.
Charlotte's brow gradually furrowed.
She didn't know why.
She felt...
Something wasn't right.
She gently closed the newspaper.
Maybe she was just overthinking.
A lot had changed at the company since Ethan had completely removed her from business matters.
But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, the question wouldn't go away from her mind.
Who is Silver Crest Holdings... and why does it seem so important to the Hawthorne Group?
She didn't know yet...
